Bites For Your Bubbly: What to Pair with Champagne

If you're throwing a New Year's Eve party and still wondering what you are going to pair with the bubbly, look no further. It's not necessary to think oysters and caviar are your only bets, although they do make good pairings. Champagne happens to be one of the most versatile wines on the market. It goes with sweet nibbles, salty snacks, fatty food, and spicy bites.

Not all Champagnes are equal. Champagne is produced in different levels of sweetness from very dry, or Brut Nature, to incredibly sweet, or Doux. The sugar levels vary from 0% in Brut Nature to more than 5% in Doux (roughly 50 grams of sugar per liter.) Most of the bottles at festivities are labeled "Brut," which is the most common of all Champagnes. Anything labeled "Brut" is considered dry, while bottles marked "Sec" are sweeter, but not necessarily super sweet. The one rule of thumb is to avoid pairing Champagnes that are dry (Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, or Extra Dry) with desserts, as you will wind up with a very unpleasant bitter taste.

If you're going to end 2011 in divine decadence, do it with oysters and Champagne. They are not cliché, they are a natural pairing. The briny flavor and supple texture of oysters is outstanding with a glass of bubbly. Choose a Champagne that's not too sweet, nor too dry.

Smoked salmon over buttered brown bread is a classic appetizer often served at French restaurants with the pre-dinner aperitif. It's simple to make and the salty, smoky flavor of the fish is a good match to a not-too-sweet, not-too-dry Champagne. Change things up by putting the smoked salmon on potatoes or on any toast points.

Yes, you can have a burger with Champagne. Try a Champagne that's a bit fruitier. The rounder flavor will pick up the sweet combination of the meat and the ketchup while the acidic bubbles with cut through the fat of the beef.

It's been said that when you are creating pairings for Champagne, think of what goes well with beer. Well, what goes better with beer than some hearty sausages? As with the burger, the salty, fatty flavors will make a great contrast for the Champagne.

Ever wonder how Champagne differs from other sparkling drinks? True Champagne only comes from the Champagne region of France. It is produced in the traditional method of méthode champenoise. Champagne itself is produced from three grapes: white Chardonnay grapes, red Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes. The world considers Champagne the standard sparkling wine, however many countries produce sparkling wines that are also quite good (and much less expensive). Cava from Spain, Prosecco from Italy, and sparklers from New Zealand, Australia, and California are all excellent options for bubbly on December 31st.

Posted by Kiri Tannenbaum

Kiri Tannenbaum is a contributing editor at Delish. Her love of food was sparked by an extended stay in Florence, Italy, where she assisted in the kitchen, shaving bittersweet chocolate over creamy, homemade tiramisu. Though she has no Italian blood in her lineage, Kiri always makes her sauce from scratch and hopes one day to adopt an Italian grandmother. Read More

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